United States Department of Agriculture A Sudden Influx of Forest Service Ample Funds Intermountain Region Sawtooth National Forest Administrative Facilities of the August 2009 Sawtooth National Forest, 1905-1960 Historic Context Statement & Evaluations, Forest Service Report No. SW-09-2443 Cover: The Fraser Ranger Station,1910s (former Minidoka National Forest) and the Sawtooth Valley Ranger Station, 1940 (Sawtooth National Recreation Area). "This sudden influx of ample amounts of funds after several lean years did not, however, catch the administrative force unprepared. Long lists of desirable and important improvement projects had been made and there was always a reservoir of projects on which to initiate action with any new appropriations received. These emergency funds in five years advanced the improvement program at least twenty years over the normal rate for the past two decades." -- Regarding New Deal funds and improvements, “History of the Minidoka National Forest, Compiled in 1941 and 1942 and updated to 1945” TMs [photocopy], p. 15-16, Accession Number R4-1680-92-0007-02, Region 4 History Collection, Ogden, Utah. A Sudden Influx of Ample Funds Administrative Facilities of the Sawtooth National Forest, 1905-1960 Historic Context Statement and Evaluations Forest Service Report No. SW-09-2443 By Richa Wilson Regional Architectural Historian USDA Forest Service Intermountain Region Facilities Group 324 25th Street Ogden, UT 84401 801-625-5704 [email protected] with contributions from Anthony Godfrey, Ph.D. U.S. West Research, Inc. 2395 East Fisher Lane Salt Lake City, UT 84109 TABLE OF CONTENTS PREFACE.............................................................................................................................................................1 ACRONYMS ........................................................................................................................................................2 MAPS.....................................................................................................................................................................3 CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW.................................................................................................................................9 SPATIAL BOUNDARIES ................................................................................................................................9 TEMPORAL BOUNDARIES ...........................................................................................................................9 HISTORICAL SETTING ................................................................................................................................10 Minidoka National Forest...........................................................................................................................10 Sawtooth National Forest ...........................................................................................................................12 CHAPTER 2: EVOLUTIONS OF THE FORESTS.......................................................................................16 THE FIRST FOREST RESERVES..................................................................................................................16 Minidoka National Forest...........................................................................................................................16 Cassia Forest Reserve, 1905-1908 .......................................................................................................................... 16 Raft River Forest Reserve, 1906-1908 .................................................................................................................... 17 Minidoka National Forest, 1908-1953 .................................................................................................................... 19 Sawtooth National Forest ...........................................................................................................................21 FOREST CONSOLIDATION .........................................................................................................................23 PERSONNEL ..................................................................................................................................................24 CHAPTER 3: CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS..................................................................................26 OVERVIEW....................................................................................................................................................26 CAMP HISTORIES.........................................................................................................................................29 Camp F-79, Big Smoky ...............................................................................................................................29 Camp F-81, Ketchum..................................................................................................................................29 Camp F-100, Porcupine Springs/ Shoshone ...............................................................................................30 Camp F-402, Rock Creek............................................................................................................................31 Camp F-412, Redfish Lake..........................................................................................................................31 “Temp” Camp, Hailey................................................................................................................................32 RECOGNIZING CCC HISTORY ...................................................................................................................32 CHAPTER 4: NURSERIES AND FIRE .........................................................................................................33 NURSERIES ...................................................................................................................................................33 FIRE MANAGEMENT...................................................................................................................................34 CHAPTER 5: SUPERVISORS’ OFFICES.....................................................................................................36 MINIDOKA NATIONAL FOREST................................................................................................................36 Early Forest Supervisors ............................................................................................................................36 Supervisor’s Offices....................................................................................................................................36 Burley Supervisor’s Dwelling .....................................................................................................................38 Burley Portable Warehouse........................................................................................................................39 SAWTOOTH NATIONAL FOREST..............................................................................................................39 Early Forest Supervisors ............................................................................................................................39 Supervisor’s Offices....................................................................................................................................39 Hailey Supervisor’s Office..........................................................................................................................41 CHAPTER 6: MINIDOKA RANGER DISTRICT ........................................................................................44 NAMES & CONFIGURATIONS....................................................................................................................45 DISTRICT HEADQUARTERS ......................................................................................................................46 ADMINISTRATIVE SITES............................................................................................................................46 Albion Administrative Site ..........................................................................................................................46 Bostetter Guard Station ..............................................................................................................................48 A SUDDEN INFLUX OF AMPLE FUNDS i Fraser Ranger Station................................................................................................................................ 49 Gunnell Ranger Station.............................................................................................................................. 49 Heglar Administrative Site......................................................................................................................... 51 Hereford Guard Station ............................................................................................................................. 52 Howell Creek Guard Station...................................................................................................................... 54 Malta Ranger Station................................................................................................................................. 55 Oakley Ranger Station 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